Ernest in Love

Share

Ernest in Love

Original Off-Broadway Version (1960)

A witty adaptation of Oscar Wilde's sparkling play about social hypocrisy among Victorian England's wealthy elite.

Oscar Wilde's outlandish The Importance of Being Ernest is one of the most clever comedies in the English language and the basis for this beguiling musical version. Featuring a score teaming with frothy melodies and clever lyrics, Ernest in Love is a delightful romp through love and manners.

In nineteenth-century England mischief and mayhem abound when two young gentlemen find themselves in over their heads. Posing as a fictitious brother, "Ernest," Jack successfully escapes his country estate to gallivant around London and court the lovely Gwendolyn. Meanwhile, Jack's friend, Algernon, avoids dining with his aunt, the persnickety Lady Bracknell, by visiting his "very ill" imaginary friend. Hilarity ensues when reality and fantasy collide, causing confusion and threatening the love lives of both Jack and Algernon.

A faithful adaptation of Wilde's comic masterpiece, Ernest in Love features all of its much-beloved characters and most of the same production demands, with the addition of a small band. The clever, tuneful score is the perfect complement to Wilde's incomparable wordplay and immortal witticisms in a delightful reworking of what has been called "the funniest play in the English language."

Questions & Answers

Regarding the sow "Ernest in Love"

I would like to use some of the pieces from this show for our High School students to sing for Musical Theatre Solo & Ensemble. This requires to original copies of each song. Is it possible to purchase 2 copies of the piano/vocal score?

Callboard

Fall in Love with ERNEST IN LOVE

In his latest column, TheatreMania.com's Peter Filichia praises the 1960s musical ERNEST IN LOVE, now playing at the Irish Repertory Theatre. With a thorough look at the show's opening scenes, Filichia favorably compares the show to its source ...